Sweet, Super and Strange: Our Best Stories You Might Have Missed This Week

Some people love to be frightened by scary movies and haunted houses. What's the deal? Ricardolr/Getty Images

It's the weekend again! For many, that's reason enough to celebrate. But if you'd like to make your weekend even more enjoyable, we've got a ton of podcasts and articles about our strange and fascinating world to keep you entertained. Here are a few of our best from this week.

The Sweet

Minimalism probably isn't a value most people would associate with American culture, especially when it comes to weddings. In fact, the average wedding in the U.S. costs upward of $30,000. That's a pretty penny for a ceremony that only lasts hours. But now, as writer Alia Hoyt explains in a new article, many couples are ditching the lavish wedding and opting for a smaller, more intimate event. And, like everything trendy, these pared down celebrations have a quirky name: microweddings.

The Super

Stuff You Should Know hosts Josh and Chuck have traversed mountains of research, thousands of minutes of recording and countless listener letters ... and now, they've arrived at episode 1,000 of the nearly decade-old podcast. (If you're just hopping on the Stuff You Should Know bandwagon, you've got a lot of listening to catch up on. Don't worry — it's totally worth it!) It's only fitting that they've chosen to commemorate the milestone with an episode about "The Simpsons," a pop culture phenomenon notable for its longevity, spot-on humor and pioneering writing.

The Strange

For thrill-seekers, there's something chillingly satisfying about being spooked by a horror movie or haunted house attraction. There are a lot of times when being terrified isn't favorable, so what's the deal with our obsession with manufactured fear? As Halloween nears, we explore why people love getting the goosebumps from a good fright. (Hint: It has a lot to do with control.)

Now That's Cool

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